Sprinkler control · backyard manifold

Sprinkler Valve Box

A two-course box of 1" × 5-3/8" deck boards over the 8-valve manifold, with a 6-board lid hinged at the back and a 1" lip over the front.

56 × 29¼"inside
58 × 31¼"outside
10¾"wall height
10deck boards
3aluminum braces
3⅝"room each side of the manifold

What it looks like illustration

The finished valve box with its lid open, showing the manifold inside

For the look only. The real center rail is a deck-board offcut with its top flush with the walls, and the lid hangs 1" past the front. Measure from the drawings below.

Top view lid off, to scale

manifold, about 45 × 22 center rail 58" outside 56" inside 31¼" outside 29¼" 5½ 3⅝ front is the bottom edge (the lid's 1" lip hangs over it)

The long front and back walls run the full 58". The 29-1/4" ends fit between them. Small 2" × 1" posts in the four inside corners tie the two courses together.

End view section through the middle, to scale

ground / gravel center rail (on edge) hinge 10¾" 1" lip lid 32¼" 5⅜" clear under the rail: 5-3/8"
Measure how tall the manifold stands at its middle before you fit the center rail. On edge, the rail leaves 5-3/8" underneath. If anything at mid-length is taller, lay the rail flat instead (it then hangs only 1").

Lid underside to scale

back edge: hinges 6" 3" rail is here 28"

Braces sit 6" in from each inside end wall, and the middle one 3" short of center so it misses the rail. Each brace stays 5/8" clear of the front and back walls when the lid closes. Dashed line = where the walls land; the strip below it is the 1" lip.

Cut list

PartSizeQtyFrom
Front / back wall pieces58"4boards 1–4
End wall pieces29¼"4boards 1–4
Lid boards58"6boards 5–10
Center rail29¼"1a lid offcut
Corner posts, ripped 2" wide10¾"4two lid offcuts
Aluminum angle braces28"3the 8 ft stick

Board layout 96½" boards, to scale

Boards 1–4 (each): one wall side + one wall end 58" 29¼" ~9" left Boards 5–10 (each): one lid board 58" ~38" offcut From the six 38" offcuts: rail 29¼" 2 posts 10¾" × 2" (rip) Do the same for the other 2 posts on a second offcut. Three offcuts stay spare.

Build order

  1. Measure the manifold's height at its middle. Over 5-3/8" means the center rail lies flat.
  2. Cut everything from the cut list. Rip the corner posts to about 2" wide.
  3. Bottom course. Fit the 29-1/4" ends between the 58" sides and drive two 3" exterior screws through each side into each end. Check the diagonals match.
  4. Top course. Same again, stacked on the first. Screw a corner post inside each corner into both courses so they move as one.
  5. Center rail. Fit it between the front and back walls at the middle of the length, top flush with the walls, and screw through the walls into its ends.
  6. Set it over the manifold on the gravel, centered: about 5-1/2" clear at each end and 3-5/8" at each side.
  7. Lid. Lay the six 58" boards face down, butted and square. Screw the three 28" aluminum braces across them (pilot holes, pan heads, don't overtighten), placed as in the lid drawing.
  8. Hinge it to the back wall with the T-hinges: flush with the back and both ends, 1" over the front.